Sarasota Film Festival / Lift Off Online Film Festival 2020 – Ext
Two-hundred years after humanity has abandoned the real world for a digital one, a robot-clad vigilante of the must figure out how to deal with a threat from a world no one has seen for centuries - the real world.
Interview with Writer/Director/Animator Adrian Bobb and Producer Zeus Kontoyannis
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to make more films that took advantage of my skillset in VFX and animation while also creating a proof of concept for a bigger animated SVOD series I've been developing for almost a decade now!
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
It's entertaining, mysterious, and an interesting mix of genres that make it stand alone among the sci-fi action flicks currently out there!
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
I think when talking about the distant future one can get easily lost in the differences rather than the similarities. In Ext the distant future is a strange one but despite the strangeness, there are still parents, and there are still children. And the relationship between mother and daughter in this story reflects on many of the universal relationships between young and old generations which on a more personal level, reflects on the relationship between millennials and boomers.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
Both have evolved so much over their development! Animation takes time, and during that time it's easy to feel the need to want to go back and change things and luckily I fought that urge multiple times but there was once or twice when I succumbed to them! The script for the short was being written alongside the script for the feature, and by the time of the short's completion, the pilot script and the overall series outline for Ext the Series so the script was often updated with things I knew I needed to convey in the proof of concept.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I'd say 99% of the feedback I've received was incredibly positive and encouraging. It's always great to see people's reactions in the theater (nerve-racking as well) but seeing them want to know more is very gratifying!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Easily. There are a hundred things I would do differently going forward but I wouldn't have known that if I hadn't made this short in the first place! Being challenged only polishes the points of view you feel strongest about holding on to so I always welcome it!
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I'm of the mind that filmmakers make movies for others so I'm hoping that spreading the word will only expand my audience and get people to follow my journey and growth as a filmmaker going forward!
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I've dwelled in the animation and VFX industries for ten years now which make it easy to create my own projects creatively but sadly my exposure to producers, sales agents, and distributors is quite limited. Thankfully through journalists and film festival directors, the film has been seen world-wide so hopefully, that will continue and get the attention of the right set of eyes, mainly producers and distributors!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I'd like it to showcase what's possible on a small budget and show that there are a lot of VFX artists and animators that while talented in our own focused disciplines are also full of stories of our own, and that if given a bit of support (both financially and publicly) we can create some truly unique and stunning pieces of cinema.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What happens after the Singularity is ancient history?
Would you like to add anything else?
Check out my website at www.adrianbobb.com to see what else I'm currently working on!
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
At the moment I am heavy in developing and pitching the series version of Ext which is planned to be a mixed animation SVOD project, as well as pitching a sci-fi astronaut flick similar to Moon called The Emissary, as well as a comic series called Syn and a TV sci-fi comedy called Worldbuilders.
So yeah it's a busy time!
Interview: May 2020
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Ext
Two-hundred years after humanity has abandoned the real world for a digital one, a robot-clad vigilante of the must figure out how to deal with a threat from a world no one has seen for centuries - the real world.
Length: 10:00
Director: Adrian Bobb
Producer: Zeus Kontoyannis
Writer: Adrian Bobb
About the writer, director and producer:
ADRIAN BOBB has been drawing and writing about robots, aliens, and the distant futures/worlds they inhabit, for about as long as he can remember. While his skill-set has certainly increased, his enthusiasm to create and design worlds and tell unique stories within them has remained consistent. In the past decade, he has worked for companies such as Ubisoft, Digital Dimension, Rocket Science VFX, Mr X, Jam Filled Animation, Little Blackstone Studios, and Sinking Ship Studios as a VFX Artist and Concept Artist for film, videogames, and television. Through Exocentric Productions, his independent film production company, he has written and directed three short films and written two features (one of which he produced), screened at over 25 film festivals across three continents He was chosen as one of Reelworld's Emerging 20 in 2019, is currently working on a TV series with REALLIFE Pictures Inc. and writing/directing a feature with KingSky Pictures later this year. In short, whether it's with a pencil, a stylus, or a camera, Adrian is a visual storyteller at heart and is thrilled to be in a place where he can realize his creativity for the big and/or small screen.
ZEUS KONTOYANNIS is a producer and writer with nearly ten years of experience in the film industry. He worked with Cinetic Media on the Banksy documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop. From there, he continued his career under veteran Hollywood and Broadway producer Scott Rudin, working on films including The Social Network, True Grit, and The Dictator, and the original theater production of Book of Mormon. Following his time at Scott Rudin Productions, Zeus joined projects under veteran indie producers Terry Leonard and Mynette Louie. In 2014, he began working as an independent producer developing new, compelling projects under his company Zeus Pictures.
Key cast: Cara Gee (Aegis Minamoto), Zoe Doyle (Kym Minamoto)
Looking for: producers, sales agents, journalists, distributors
Facebook: EXT
Twitter: @ExocentricProd1
Instagram: @exocentricpro
Hashtags used: #EXT #exocentricproductions
Website: www.adrianbobb.com
Made in association with: Zeus Pictures, Exocentric Productions
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? The Art of Brooklyn Film Festival/Online - June 1st - 15th